REVELATION 1:6 GOD'S POWER IN AND FOR YOU

REVELATION

A Verse by Verse Study

A journey of Studying What’s Revealed to Me

Revelation 1: 6 and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen....

Part II

Cont’d...from Part I

In Part I I addressed who this book of Revelation was written to: Christians (servants of God,) the Trinity and that we have been made kings! 

This, Part II will address the power we have in Christ in his “kingdom!”  I was going to talk about being priests unto God but felt led to discuss his power and authority!  He has preeminence! He is our head and he is our king.  We are in his kingdom now and have been completely and fully delivered from the kingdom of darkness.  If you see no earthy evidence, it is no less true! This is our fight and this is our battle! May we fight to see his kingdom come! He said , “May it come on earth as it is in heaven!”  There’s no throne over him and no devil can rule him. No earthly situation overcomes him. The truth is you are in his kingdom and you have an inheritance.  Your authority is to fight for your inheritance and his will in earth as it is in heaven! 

Col 1: 12  giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. ¹³ He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, ¹⁴ in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.¹⁵ He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. ¹⁶ For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. ¹⁷ And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. ¹⁸ And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.

It’s important for Christians to understand that being born again means you are translated into his kingdom!  You’ve been made a “king” serving a “King!”  He has endued YOU with power from on high.  One reason the body of Christ seems at times weak is we have no knowledge whatsoever that his power is not just for the apostles and prophets but his power is for us!

In some of the earlier verses, who this is written to and the blessings we can receive from both reading and hearing the book of Revelation are discussed.  This Word from God was given to John to be distributed unto God’s servants.  This is not a book that was meant to be only for the clergy. There is nothing in the word “servants” to suggest it is meant for clergy only.   On the other hand, being a king doesn’t mean we can take an authority that isn’t rightfully ours.  We are servant kings, serving under the King of Kings in the place of authority he gives us.  This power isn’t for usurping from man, but it’s for defeating the devil.  It’s for carrying out the will of THE KING! That will is to be carried out “on earth as it is in heaven!”

We “have been made,” kings and priests.  This indicates a past tense.  This is not something to come, but this is something that is!  Although we will all be given assignments in the millennium we all have assignments now!  A wonderful meditation in the Lord is to consider what heaven will look like for us.  What place will he give us in his earthly millennial rule.  However, I am on earth now.  I am not yet in the millennium.  Look around you!  Where has God placed you?  All around you is evil that you can pray against.  All around you are people who are sick that need your prayers! All around you are the lost that can be prayed into the Kingdom.  People need the Lord and they need your prayers.  At times God will give you opportunities to speak and when you know the Word, you know you can speak his truth.  When you have his Spirit inside, you know he will help you speak.  What good is it to know we have been made kings and priests without knowing what that means?

Do we sit on a throne?  Yes! We sit on his throne with and in him!  Again, we serve in what he has given us- not what he hasn’t!  Serving in the kingdom of God is different from the kingdoms of this world.  In the kingdoms of the world, men seek power and authority according to their own lust but in his kingdom, we serve with humility! Even Jesus said the greatest among you would be your servant!  Being a king in HIS kingdom is about faithfully serving him. It’s not a lust for authority but it’s knowing what he’s given you and how to live in the power of that truth!

Matthew 23:11 But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. 12 And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.

Ephesians 2:6  and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, ⁷ that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

THE POWER GIVEN US 

Being a king means you have been given both power and authority!  Glory to God! When Jesus rose from the dead, he descended into hell and there he took back they keys to death and hell!  He is King of Kings! He has all authority and he has all power!  Right now, he is currently gathering all things under him and while we still have battles to fight, the victory was won at the cross, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. On the day of Pentecost, he transferred his power to believers! Praise his wonderful name!

His is the kingdom, the power and the glory! 

Matthew 6:13 For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

The power to preach, heal the sick and cast out devils has been given!

Matthew 10:1  And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease.

This doesn’t say he gave only his apostles or only elders or the clergy the power to cast out devils. This is something God gave to disciples which means followers or students.  The power to cast out devils has not only been given to the clergy; it has been given to you!  This isn’t a license to go around where you aren’t authorized but when you know there is a devil influencing a situation, you can speak to it in Jesus name and cast that devil from its place!  When you have authority to pray over people and you know there is a devil involved, you can rebuke the devil in Jesus name.  Jesus has in fact given us the power to cast out devils but as I said in the last study, America has become sophisticated.  Can you speak to a person you don’t even know is there?  No!  When you know a thief enters your house, you have the authority to say, “Get out!”  If necessary, you can use a gun.  You have that same authority in Christ. 

Mark 3: 14b-15  He might send them out to preach, ¹⁵ and to have power to heal sicknesses and  to cast out demons:

Mark 6:7  And He called the twelve to Himself, and began to send them out two by two, and gave them power over unclean spirits.

Luke 10: 19 Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

THE POWER TO PREACH, HEAL THE SICK, CAST OUT DEVILS

Paul knew that when he spoke and preached, people did not come to the Lord because his speech was persuasive, but he knew there would be present the power of God to demonstrate the gospel.  When I got saved, my heart pounded inside of my chest for no reason.   The tug on my heart was stronger than the pull of the earth to the sun or any ship on the ropes!  The love in the pull was powerful and irresistible as the preaching of the Word was accompanied by the power of the Holy Spirit!  Isn’t he wonderful that we don’t rely on the strength of man but on the power of God!

1 Corinthians 2:4 And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,  5 that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. How wonderful it is to know our confidence is not in the power of man but in the power of God!

THE RESURRECTION POWER AT WORK IN YOU

The same power that raised Jesus from the dead works in us!

Ephesians 1: 19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power ²⁰ which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, ²¹ far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.

Jesus addressed the religious crowd that had no understanding of Christ’ resurrection power! 

Matthew 22:  ²⁹ Jesus answered and said to them, “You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God.

 POWER AT PENTECOST GIVEN TO YOU

Some would say the power of God is only given to clergy yet there were 120 present at Pentecost.  In this passage Jesus told his disciples to go and wait for power.  It wasn’t only the top 12 disciples that waited for this power but there were others! There were 120 and after the power of the Spirit was poured out, Peter made the proclamation, “This promise is for all!”

Luke 24:49 Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.”

Acts 1:8  But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Peter declares the power of the Spirit to be for all:

Acts 2: 17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God,  That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh;  Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,  Your young men shall see visions,  Your old men shall dream dreams.  ¹⁸ And on My menservants and on  My maidservants  I will pour out My Spirit in those days;  And they shall prophesy.

Acts 2:32   This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. ³³ Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear....

Acts 2: 38, 39 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ³⁹ For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”

The apostles had power:

Acts 4:33 And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all.

Acts 5:12 And through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people. And they were all with one accord in Solomon’s Porch.

and so did Stephen, a lay minister.  Whether you are in full time ministry or whether you are a lay minister, the power of God is available to you.  Every believer is a minister!

Acts 6:8  And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people.

COMMUNICATING THE GOSPEL

Anyone communicating the gospel carries the power of God.  The power is in the gospel, not the person and when someone commits themselves to speak the gospel, they are backed up by the power of God.  God’s Spirit who is the Power of God, dwells in each believer.  Glory to God his power is not just for clergy! In fact there are many in the clergy who are trying to minister that are void in power not because of lack but because of denial!

Romans 1:16  For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.

1 Corinthians 1:18  For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

Only religion (rules & regulations without relationship) denies the power for the people! They are more concerned with position and authority over people than they are in turning believers loose in the power and glory of the kingdom!

2 Timothy 3: 5-7 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! ⁶ For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, ⁷ always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

It’s not my goal to do an entire study on kingly authority, the power of God or the priesthood but just know by his Word, he has made you a king; he has given you power and he has given you authority!  He has not made us to be cowards but to be humble servants, filled with great power, exercising his authority as King of Kings and Lord of Lords!

STRENGTH & HOPE

Romans 15: 13  Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Dear friends, God has not only given power to the apostles. This promise of his Spirit is for all.  The power of God was brought to all believers on the Day of Pentecost.  Truly he has given you power over serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the devil.  Don’t be like the religious crowd, not understanding the power of God, but believe that he has given you his power.  You are seated with him in heavenly places and all things are under his feet!  Walk in the power and authority given you by Jesus Christ in his name.

Once again I say, We’ll pick this up next by studying what it means to be a Priest to God.

Joyreaper

5/27/2013

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Blue Letter Bible. "Dictionary and Word Search for dynamis (Strong's 1411)". Blue Letter Bible. 1996-2013. 27 May 2013. < http:// www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?
Strongs=G1411&t=KJV >

The Holy Bible, New King James Version Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.. “Bible Gateway. 2013. 11 May 2013. http://www.biblegateway.com/keyword/?search=power&version1=NKJV&searchtype=all&limit=none&wholewordsonly=no&startnumber=176

THE TEMPLE OF THE LORD- ESTABLISHED IN JERUSALEM

The temple of the Lord established in Jerusalem

 

Isaiah 2

New International Version (NIV)

The Mountain of the Lord

2 This is what Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem:

² In the last days

the mountain of the Lord’s temple will be established
    as the highest of the mountains;
it will be exalted above the hills,
    and all nations will stream to it.

³ Many peoples will come and say,

“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
    to the temple of the God of Jacob.
He will teach us his ways,
    so that we may walk in his paths.”
The law will go out from Zion,
    the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
⁴ He will judge between the nations
    and will settle disputes for many peoples.

 

 

If we read the above passage honestly, we can see this scripture has never been fulfilled.  Some important point are:

 

1.             When written, it was not “the last days,” as verse 2 prophesies fulfillment will be.

2.             There has never been a time when all nations streamed to the temple of the God of Jacob.

3.             There has never been a time when law for nations went out from Jerusalem.

4.             There has never been a time “yet” when He, the Lord, judged between nations, although Matthew 25 clearly speaks of a time when the Lord does divide nations and Isaiah in the Old Testament speaks of a time “government” will be upon his shoulders. (Matt 25:31, Isaiah 9:6)

 

Isaiah 9:6

New International Version (NIV)

⁶ For to us a child is born,
    to us a son is given,
    and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
    Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

 

 

In addition, the scripture referring to the son of God, who is also one with God, that holy child Jesus whom we as Christians refer to as all of the wonderful names listed in Isaiah 9.

 

This passage (Isaiah 2,) is not about the body of Christ being the temple of the Lord  but about a physical place the Lord will reign from after his return. All nations will come to him for rule. Bible prophecy teaches the Lord will one day rule the earth from his temple in Jerusalem. That's why it will be a physical place.

 

Although the bible teaches that the Lord does not reside in an earthly temple, that is specifically a scripture about believers in Christ being the habitation of the Lord. (1 Corinthians 6:10 ) The Lord Jesus does not reside inside those who have not accepted him. For him to rule unbelievers from earth, it will be from a physical place that nations approach.

 

Many try to spiritualize every scripture even though scripture itself instructs us it is not for private interpretation (2 Peter 1:20.)  My acceptance of scripture is to take it literally unless analogies, parables and metaphors are obvious.  In my theology I accept a literal interpretation that compares scripture with scripture in context and uses symbolism when obvious.  I believe it to be dangerous to spiritualize everything. Much of this spiritualizing resulted from the many prophecies speaking of Israel as a nation but if you lived before 1948, it was obvious there was no nation.  It came as a surprise to the Christian world when God fulfilled prophecy exactly as spoken when he gathered Israel from the four corners of the earth and Israel became a nation in 1948.  Suddenly everyone realized the prophecies written were literal and not spiritual.

 

If scripture is taken literally, Jesus will rule for 1,000 years from this place (Revelation 20:4-6.)  While many in the body of Christ are divided on this issue, I accept the physical prophecy. Because we have never seen this take place, it is still yet to be fulfilled. It is widely accepted this is a prophecy to be fulfilled after the return of Christ to earth.  The bible says we do not fully understand bible prophecy which explains the many differing opinions. None of us know exactly what the reign of Christ on the earth will look like but we do know the bible states there will be one and it will take place in Jerusalem! Amen!

 

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah%202&version=NIV

Arise and Shine

WHEN WE ARISE HIS GLORY IS SEEN

When we ARISE, we are allowing the Lord to shine and be seen as he has already done! The glory of the Lord has already arisen upon us. It's time to arise and be of strong courage like Joshua and advance the Kingdom of God! It's not time to be sitting around waiting for something to happen!

We are in a new season of advancement where the body of Christ is arising.

In that arising we are diminishing the ability of the devil to advance the kingdom of darkness!

Praise God saints! It's time to Arise!  When you arise, people will come to you. The glory is already here!  

DON'T LET THE ENEMY HOLD YOU IN FEAR

Don't let your enemy keep you in a place of fear and intimidation! Arise, shine and proclaim with a loud voice what he has done for you! It's time to advance the Kingdom of God! Many do not advance because of fear and intimidation.  Be of good courage and take a step forward doing all he's called you to do!  God is already with us and already inside of us.

Your arising and walking forward puts fear in the devil and diminishes his work! As you arise in Christ, darkness flees and diminishes!  

People are in darkness but they see light in you!  They come to you to take part and be in the light they see in you!  All you have to do is shine! All you have to do is arise!  All you have to do is let Jesus live through you!  However, this is about more than JUST living the life.  People respond to a message heard.  Faith comes by hearing. We must be in the business of both living AND proclaiming. The gospel message was designed to be told.  

When Jesus came on the scene, those around were told to "God and tell!"

Isaiah 60:1 Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the LORD is risen upon you.  2 For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, And deep darkness the people;  But the LORD will arise over you,  And His glory will be seen upon you. 3  The Gentiles shall come to your light, And kings to the brightness of your rising.    4 “ Lift up your eyes all around, and see:   They all gather together, they come to you...

ARISE AND WALK- GET UP AND MOVE FORWARD

Like Jesus says to the paralytic, "Arise, take up your sick bed and walk," so it is time for us to get up and move forward in the Word of God!  We are not sick!

We are full of the presence and power of Jesus himself!  It's time to arise and move forward.  When we move forward, we diminish the motion of the devil. Remember, the devil can't multiply.  

That's why all he can do is try to hold people back from serving God! As you move forward and win hearts and minds for Jesus, you cut off the devil!  Praise God I want to be in the business of diminishing the devil!

CUT OFF THEIR VEHICLES-MOVE FORWARD IN YOURS

Look!  God told Joshua, "Don't worry!  I'll give you the slain and you will hamstring the horses.  You will burn their chariots with fire!"  What God was saying was, "Go forward Joshua! Don't fear and don't worry!  I will make you victorious!  In your forward motion you will cut off your enemy's vehicles and you will cut off their ability to multiply! As you move forward your enemy will diminish!"  

Joshua 11:6

6But the Lord said to Joshua, Do not be afraid because of them, for tomorrow by this time I will give them up all slain to Israel; you shall hamstring their horses and burn their chariots with fire.

I could expound on what it means to "hamstring" a horse but let's keep it simple. A hamstringed horse can no longer multiply!  

That's good news!  That means these enemies would be limited in number and ability!

In that day horses and chariots were vehicles by which the enemies of Israel came against them.  By hamstringing the horses and burning tClosehe chariots, their ability to multiply and their ability to move forward was cut off!  What has God put in your heart to do?  We are to go into all the highways and byways.  These are the roads the vehicles travel.

Whatever your highway and your avenue is, use whatever vehicle you have in your hands to advance the gospel of Jesus Christ converting the hearts and minds.  

Now is the time! Now is the season! We can not take lightly or miss this opportunity to advance!

Spreading the gospel and taking over hearts and minds is the New Testament truth of the Old Testament foreshadow of taking land!  I don't want to diminish the promise that the land of Israel is also important and God does have a plan for that physical land but that's another subject.  We are to be in the business of advancing the territory of Jesus in the hearts and minds of people!  Arise and shine and do not fear. Be of good courage and rise up to become all he's called you to be! Take your place in the body of Christ and let the light of Jesus Christ, the very glory of God be seen upon you! Praise God, it's time to advance and take over every highway, every avenue and every vehicle for getting the gospel message out! Be blessed today in Jesus name! Amen!